1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a musical instrument such as a kalimba, thumb piano, marimbula or other melodic percussion instrument.
2. Brief Description of Prior Art
The Kalimba is a traditional African musical instrument, sometimes called a Mbira, marimbula, thumb piano or Lamellophone. Musical notes are produced by resonant keys or bars which are suspended over a resonant body. The keys or bars are traditionally of metal, such as hammered wire, or strips of metal banding material. The bars are pressed and released by a musician in such a way that they vibrate at a pitch specific to the length of the bar. The desired tuning is traditionally achieved by adjusting the length individual key exposed over an isolating element known as a bridge. The greater the length of the key results in a lower pitch of sound.
In the prior art, each individual key typically 5 to 25 in number have to be adjusted individually, and typically requires a cumbersome apparatus to semi-permanently secure it in place. This arrangement is prone to slipping and going out of tune during use. It requires a person highly skilled in the art to properly adjust the tuning of a traditional kalimba.
It is difficult and time consuming to change the timbre or musical ‘color’ of the instrument, which can only be achieved by substituting one type of key for another, ie steel for bronze or plastic. As a result, this form of musical variation is almost never employed.
The amount of pressure required to maintain the individual keys in place on a traditional kalimba with individual keys can be enough to damage the thin wood from which kalimbas are typically constructed. The arrangement often results in unequal pressure on keys resulting in slipping, structural and aesthetic problems. As a result kalimbas are often built in such a way that they are heavy. Since kalimbas are hand held, it is desirable to have the kalimba as light as possible. A thinner, hollow construction is inherently more resonant than a thicker, solid amusement device rather than a serious musical instrument.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,493,119 discloses a musical comb having a plurality of pluckable teeth. The patent includes a horn that allows for interchangable combs each comb carrying a specific song ‘recorded’ in the shape of the comb teeth such that running a finger along the teeth reproduces the ‘recorded’ song. The device requires no musical skill and does not encourage creativity. It is more of an amusement device rather than a serious musical instrument.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,610,085 shows an example prior art kalimba. In this case there are a plurality of individual keys that can be inserted, tuned and replaced. This instrument is versatile but is very time consuming to tune and difficult to keep in tune. When the wood and screws are over tightened, or just worn with age/use, the threads will be eventually stripped and the kalimba no longer able to hold the tune at all.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,553 discloses another prior art kalimba with a plurality of individual keys having generally the same limitation of being difficult to use. The individual keys are longer than functionally necessary and project out the end of the instrument in a hazardous cumbersome way that adds to the difficulty of using and transporting the device. Another disadvantage is that if one key is broken due to damage or fatigue or lost it is nearly impossible to locate or fabricate a replacement key that fits the musical timbre of the remaining keys, as a result all the keys must be replaced or more often the kalimba is retired or discarded.
As can be seen, there is a need for an improved kalimba that would be appropriate for the serious musician who wishes to easily achieve a greater range in musical expression and wishes to assure a ready supply of precisely replaceable musical notes. There is also a need for a kalimba that may present a beginner with two or three keys in a highly simplified manner, which can easily be “upgraded” or made slightly more complex (challenging) within a single unit of classroom time.